Too Much
Akala ni Lila ay di na siya aabutan ng susunod pang linggo dahil sa midterms na naganap. Luckily, she survived it all. Hapong-hapo siya nang matapos ang pinakahuling subject nila. Akala niya ay makakapagpahinga na siya ngunit namataan niya si Shane sa labas ng kanyang building, naghihintay.
“Tara na!” sigaw nito habang kinakawayan siya.
“Saan tayo pupunta?”
Wala siyang ganang gumala ngayon. All her mind is circling around her bed and sleeping on it. Ngunit hila-hila na siya sa braso ni Shane.
“Bibili ng damit, friend. Dapat bongga tayo do’n.” Tukoy nito ang birthday ni Jenevieve. Buong linggo na excited at di magkamayaw ang kanyang kaibigan. Sa isang magarang hotel kasi ang pagdadausan ng event. May nakalagay rin na dress code at kailangang naka-maskara.
“Pagod na ‘ko ngayon. Tsaka may damit naman ako sa bahay.”
Shane sneered. “Saan? ‘Yong puti mong dress? Mukha kang white lady kapag suot mo ‘yon.”
Inirapan niya lang ang kaibigan ngunit sa huli ay hinayaan niya na lang ito. Ang totoo ay binigyan siya ng kanyang mamang ng pambili ng damit. Pinilit siya nitong pumunta nang hindi naman raw mabulok ang katawan nito sa bahay. She was grateful but she doesn’t really need it.
“Dali na,” pamimilit nito sa kanya.
Kanina pa sila ikot nang ikot sa mall. Nakita na ni Shane ang ‘dream dress’ niya. Pero siya ay wala pa ring napipili. Parating price ng damit ang kanyang tinitignan bago ang disenyo dahil mahirap na baka magkulang pa ang kanyang pera.
“Whoa...” Napanganga siya nang makita ang isang dress sa sulok ng mall.
“Ito na ‘yon,” bulong ni Shane.
It’s a long lacy dress in midnight blue. When she tried it on, the dress hugged her body well. The back is quite revealing but the arms are covered with a lacy patterns contrasting both styles. Shane helped her with the make-up. She let her do her hair as well.
“Girls!” binati sila ni Quinn.
“Hi...” she replied.
Quinn hugged them both. “You two look fabulous!”
Shane was quiet beside her. Nasa kamay lang nila ang maskara. Iilan lang naman ang may suot nito dahil hindi pa nagsisimula.
“Tara sa table namin,” aya nito.
The program started. Wala siyang halos kakilala sa mga tao. Buti na lang dumaan kanina si Jennie kaya nabati niya ito. She was even more ethereal glam up.
“Tara, Lila, sayaw,” ani Shane.
“Una na kayo,” tanggi niya.
Busog pa kasi siya sa daming pagkain kanina.
Sumimangot ito. “Tss... Sige na nga.”
Di nagtagal ay naiwan na siya sa kanyang table. It’s been an hour. There’s someone she’s looking among the crowd. She spotted him awhile ago but he was talking to a lot of people. Nahiya naman siyang sumingit. It’s not like she’s someone important.
But like on cue, she saw him walking towards her, wearing his silver mask. Even his face is half covered, she still recognized the familiar grin on his lips. Inabot nito ang kanyang kamay. She let him lead her in the middle of the dance floor.
“Miss, may I know your name?” bigla nitong tanong.
Napabitiw siya sa lalaki. “Ano?”
“Eon, why are you dancing with her?” She heard Ewan’s voice coming from the back.
Tinanggal ng dalawa ang maskara. They looked alike, she thought.
“Easy. Is she your girlfriend?”
Lila guessed that the two are brothers.
“Get out of here,” taboy ni Ewan dito.
Biglang ngumisi ang lalaki. “Ah ikaw si Lila! I’m Eon, refined version of this guy. Malas ko lang na pareho kami ng mukha—aray!" Piningot ni Ewan ang tenga nito. "Ito nga aalis na!” Tumawa ito nang malakas. Ewan was playfully bickering with him until he really left the two of them.
“And that was my brother,” he said.
“Magkamukha nga kayo.”
He seem to dislike the idea. “Ang layo kaya,” tanggi pa nito.
Tinawanan niya lang ang lalaki. The music changed into a slower melody. The people around them automatically found their partners. Nagkatinginan silang dalawa.
“Will you dance with me?”
She pretended to think for a second.
“Ano pa nga ba?”
He grimaced. “Napilitan?”
Hinapit siya nito sa bewang at nilapit sa kanyang katawan. She felt his warmth. Even on her heels, she still can’t reach his face. It’s a good thing. Now, she have reasons not to take his intense gaze of her. The two of them swayed together. Lila swore that she had no sense of rhythm on her body but with Ewan leading, it’s like she knew what to do.
He leaned in closer to her ears and whispered. “Lila, I think you’re stealing the birthday girl’s spotlight.” She rolled her eyes at him. If anything, she looks the most average among these people. She’s not wearing any designer clothes on her body. She doesn’t even have a prominent name. She’s just Lila.
Ewan held her even closer. Nagwawala ang loob niya. She hoped that he can’t feel the slow quivers of her hands, the quick breaths she’s taking and the scattering of her brain behind her calm demeanor.
“Hello, darling. Can I have a dance with this dazzling man?” A woman interrupted.
Pareho silang napatigil. Natulala siya nang kanyang pagmasdan ang kabuoan ng babae. A tall woman wearing champagne colored gown, her hair in a messy bun and her eyes have a glint of mystery.
“Mom." Ewan kissed her.
Ito ba ang kanyang ina? Now, she knew where he got the looks.
His mom smiled at her. “And who’s this lovely lady?”
“I’m Lila po," agad niyang sagot.
Her eyes narrowed. “Lila Poe?”
“Lila lang po?”
“Lila lang?”
She shook her head. “Lila...”
“Mom, stop doing it," Ewan interjected and chuckled.
She rolled her eyes. “Hmp! Naglalambing lang. Fine, I’ll leave the two of you alone. Chika ka sa’kin mamaya and talk to your dad ha.”
His mom held her arm before bidding goodbye. Umalis din ito saka iniwan sila. Hindi niya namalayan na kanina pa pala siya nakangiti.
“Ang bait ng mommy mo," she commented.
“Total opposite of my Abuela, right?”
“Sobra," she exclaimed in agreement.
“Ewan! Ito na ‘yong future ng Visionary.”
A group of men went to talk to him. Ewan took a quick glance of her. He acted with an exaggerating exhaustion on his face. He mouthed 'help me'. She can't help but laughed at his animated face while the men were talking in unison.
“Go.” She smiled and shooed him away.
Nang bumalik siya sa kanilang table ay namataan niya naman ang kaibigan.
“Tangina, Lila! Nandyan ka lang pala. Kanina pa kita hinahanap.” Hinila siya bigla ni Shane.
“Lasing ka na ba?” she asked.
Shane's face is already red. Mukhang allergic pa nga yata 'to sa alcohol pero ang lakas uminom.
“Tara dali! Nasa penthouse ang tunay na party," ika nito.
“Teka—
Wala na siyang nagawa kundi sumunod sa kaibigan. They left the function hall and went to the top floor. Just like what Shane said, this is where the real party is happening. Sinalubong sila ng malakas na tugtog. Despite the swarming people in dress and in tux, they still ran into Quinn. Nakita niya rin si Jennie na sumasayaw pa sa gitna kasama ang mga kaibigan nito.
“Hindi ako umiinom," tanggi niya kay Quinn nang inabutan siya nito ng alak.
“C’mon, it’s just like water," pilit nito.
Quinn is obviously drunk.
“Sige, isa lang.”
Nilunok niya ang inumin. She grimaced on its taste.
“That’s my girl!”
The one glass she promised to herself turned into one bottle until she didn't remember the number. She felt funny. Nag-iinit na ang katawan niya. One second, she still feel normal and then she was not. Ganito siguro ang pakiramdam ng lasing. But she swore that she still know what she's doing.
“Whoo!”
Nagtawanan silang dalawa ni Shane. There's nothing funny but she just feels like laughing. Nakisayaw siya sa iba. But the other people were quite provocative with their pelvic dance. Kaya itinaas-taas niya na lang ang kamay.
“Isa pa nga!” ika niya sa bartender na nasa island bar.
Someone grab the bottle before she can take it. Napasimangot siya sa kumuha.
“Lila, tama na ‘yan. You’re gonna regret this tomorrow," anito.
She crossed her arms around her chest. “P-pero gusto ko pa eh," she said, her mouth protruding. She attempted to get the bottle from him but he was tall.
He softly chuckled. “Wow... I didn’t expect you to be a whiny drunk.”
Inakay siya ng lalaki papaalis. She can't help but stare at him. He's so beautiful, she thought. Pero gusto niya pang uminom. Hindi pa naman siya lasing. Tsaka ang aga pa.
“Let’s get you to your room," anito.
Lumabas sila sa hallway. Suddenly, the world started spinning. Napahinto siya.
“Umiikot ang mundo—wait!” Napasandal siya sa dibdib ng lalaki. She closed her eyes tightly, hoping that the nausea will subside but it didn't. Muntik lang siyang matumba nang humakbang siya papalayo. Buti na lang ay nahawakan siya nito sa bewang.
“How drunk are you? Sila Quincy na naman ‘to. Ang sabi ko bantayan ka.” Pumalatak ang lalaki.
“Hold tight, Lila.”
Naramdaman niya ang pag-angat ng kanyang katawan sa ere. She clung her arms on his shoulder and buried her face on his neck. Nasisilaw siya sa mga ilaw na nadadaanan.
“You smell good," she whispered.
“Stop sniffing me.” Tumawa ito.
“Shhh...” She squinted her eyes at him.
He nodded. “Oo shhh.”
Binuksan ng lalaki ang pinto. Madilim at malamig ang paligid. She felt the soft cushion touched her back. Binuksan ng lalaki ang lamp shade sa bedside table. She finally saw his face.
“Secret lang natin ‘to... P-pero crush ko na yata si Ewan sa engineering. K-kilala mo...ba ‘yon?”
He looked surprised. “A-ano? Sinong crush mo?”
“ ‘Yong swimmer sa engineering na may walong abs! Bingi mo naman... Pogi ka sana...” Napagikgik siya.
“I’m liking this drunk version of you.”
Is she dreaming or this guy looks like someone she knew? Lila can see herself in his languid eyes. How can he stare at her like that? Like she's someone worth of adoration. She traced his nose down to his soft reddish lips. She wondered how it feels like. Inabot niya ang labi nito and planted a kiss on him.
It's a dream, she thought.
He held her in place. “If you’re going to do things like that, make sure you’re sober enough to remember.”
Lila tried to closed her eyes. She stirred to the other side. Ang init ng pakiramdam niya at ang kati ng kanyang braso dahil sa suot na dress. She stood up, her eyes still close and started yanking her dress away.
“Ako lang talaga ang nagsusuffer dito— Lila don’t! Oh shit!”
Her head spin when she opened her eyes. Nakita niya ang panic na mukha ng lalaki.
“Fuck! Don’t undress!” sigaw nito.
Sinamaan niya ito ng tingin. “H-huh? Ang ingay naman!” she exclaimed but the acid in her stomach traveled out of her mouth.
“Magtatawag ako ng iba para tulungan ka. Stay there.”
Sumakit lang ang mga kamay niya. In the end, she went back to lay on the bed. Everything went dark after.